http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-russia-europe-4b14f3b2-06de-11e6-bfed-ef65dff5970d-20160420-story.html

It was the kind of crime that sears the soul, the gang rape of a 13-year-old ethnic Russian girl by a trio of immigrants in Germany.

The first reports galvanized the Russian diaspora, bringing tens of thousands into the streets to protest Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door policy.

Trouble is, the attack never happened. It was just a teenager's tall tale, police quickly concluded. German officials say the controversy -- known as the "Lisa Affair" -- was ginned up by President Vladimir Putin's propaganda machine to undermine Merkel in the run up to last month's regional elections, which resulted in stinging losses for her party.

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